There are a number of pathologies that can occur in the human ear canal and middle ear space. Generally, these pathologies include but are not limited to eardrum perforation, the presence of middle ear fluid, cholesteatoma, tumors, and the presence of unwanted earwax. These five categories represent umbrella characterizations under which many variations of the individual pathology exists. At present, it is very difficult to train new doctors and medical students to diagnose these pathologies, because no training model or effective technique exists.
Additionally, ear surgeries are common throughout the United States. For example, the placement of pressure equalization (PE) tubes into the tympanic membrane of the ear is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in the United States. Typically, 1.05 million PE tubes are placed in a given year. However, in the past, the only reliable method of training surgeons to perform these procedures was for a surgeon to practice on an actual patient under the supervision of a more experienced surgeon. As a result, an inexperienced surgeon could cause irreparable harm to a patient if he made a mistake during his training.